Automatic fountain pen



Mal-ch31, 1936. 'J. LANDAU AUTOMATIC FOUNTAIN PEN Filed May 19, 1934 2Sheets-Sheet J,

Illlll l Guam;

March 31, 1936. LAN'DAU 2,035,555

' AUTOMATIC FOUNTAIN PEN Filed May 19, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 sq- .6.Sgt-Q. 7

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,035,555 AUTOMATIC FOUNTAIN PEN Joseph N.Landau, New York, N. Y. Application May 19, 1934, Serial No. 726,542

' 10 Claims.

My invention relates to fountain pens and more particularly to fountainpens in which the pen point is protected by a retractible sleeveslidably mounted upon the pen body or barrel.

One object of my invention is to provide a novel form of protectivesleeve for the fountain pen which shallinclude a shutter for closing theopen end of the sleeve.

Another object of the invention is to provide a protective sleeve of thecharacter designated in which the shutter shall form a finger rest whenthe fountain pen is in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a protective sleeve of thecharacter designated in which the shutter shall be positively operatedto prevent any interference with the operation of the pen.

Another object of the invention is'to provide a fountain pen attachmentwhich shall be adapted to the usual and standard fountain pendimensions.-

Another object of the invention is to provide. a fountain pen of thecharacter designed which shall be simple in operation and rugged inconstruction and more reliable in operation than similar devicesheretofore employed.

These and other objects of the invention will be more apparent from thefollowing specification and drawings and particularly set forth in theclaims.

In the drawings:-

Fig. 1 is a perspective-view of a fountain pen embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view partially in section and showing the penin extended position; Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an exploded view showing the several parts in perspective;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a fountain pen having a protective capconstructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 6 is an elevational view partially in section; I

Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the pen in an extended position; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the operation 'of the finger rest.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the drawings I there is shown thegeneral assembly of a fountain pen embodying my invention. In thisarrangement the pen comprises a pen point or nib. II), a throat portionI I, an ink reservoir or sack I2 and a tubularbarrel l3, all of whichare secured together to form the penholder unit.

The upper end of the barrel I3 is provided with tion l8 adapted toreceive a clip member I9, lock nut I9 and a retainer cap 20. Locatedwithin the cap 20 and protected thereby is a plunger 2| arranged toactuate a yieldable filler member 10 comprising elements 22 and 22'extending inside the barrel and adjacent to the yieldable sack l2 toeffect the filling of the pen as well understood in the art.

The pen point I0 is protected, when not in use, 16 by a slidable sleeve23 provided with a novel form of closure or shutter member 24. When thepen is in its extended position, the shutter is arranged to move to oneside of the sleeve and form a finger rest for the pen so as to pre- 20ventsoiling of the fingers from-any ink leakage that frequently occursin the every day use of fountain pens. Another important feature of thisclosure member to prevent leakage of ink is the tapered valve seatsurface 25 on the shut- 25 ter and the corresponding. beveled seat 26 atthe end of the sleeve 23. The inside of the closure is cup shaped toretain any ink that may accidently drop or leak from the pen while it isbeing carried upon the person or otherwise handled. 30 To furtherprovide for any leakage from theclosure, an absorbent element 27 issecured in the top of the closure. This absorbent element ispreferablyin the form of a. renewable blotter disk. 35

The novel-form of actuating mechanism for the shutter 24 comprisesa-spring rod 28 extending'longitudinally of the barrel l3 and located ina channel formed by complementary grooves 29 and 30 provided in thebarrel l3 and the sleeve 23 40 respectively. One important feature ofthis construction is that the member 28. operating in the channelprevents the barrel and sleeve from being rotated and thus interferewith the opera-- tion or position of the finger rest as provided 45 penbarrel. The arrangement is such that the spring 35 shall pass within theband spring 34 during the relative sliding movement of the parts. Therod 28 connects with the closure shutter 24 by means of a segment arm 31connected to the rod bya pivot pin 38. The segment arm is provided witha rear arcuate portion 39 which is adapted to pivotally connect witha'yieldable pivot spring 40 positioned at the end of the sleeve 23 andadjacent the tapered closure seat 26. The upper end of the rod 28 isprovided with a control notch H which is adapted to engage the spring 35and thus cause a snap action of the shutter to open the same when thepen is to be projected and a snap action to close the same when the penis finally retracted within the sleeve.

The movement of the sleeve is' controlled by a novel form of yieldablebushing 42 carried by the upper end of the sleeve and secured thereto byany suitable device such as threads. This bushing is provided withyieldable spring fingers 43 which are adapted to engage in peripheralgrooves 44 and 45 spaced apart on the barrel l3 and thus control theextent of movement of the pen, and locking it in these to predeterminedpositions, relative to-the protective slidable sleeve.

With the pen in the position shown in Fig. 2, it will be noted that theshutter is moved outwardly and to one side of the sleeve and directlybeneath the pen l0 so as to form a convenient finger rest while the penis in use as heretofore described and illustrated in' Fig. 8.

There is shown in Figs. 5, 6, and '7 a modification of the protectivesleeve in which it is arranged-to form a cap for the pen which supportsthe pen in its upright position while being carried on the person and atthe same time, permit use of the pen without the bother and annoyance ofremoving the cap by unscrewing the same as heretofore experienced in theoperation of fountain pens of thischaracter.

In this embodiment of my invention, the fountain pen includes the usualelements of a barrel 46, cap 41 and a. support clip 48 secured theretoby any suitable means such as the rivets and band member 49. The cap orprotective sleeve as it may be called is provided with an inwardlyturned flange portion 50 at one end thereof which shall fit over anyordinary standard fountain pen barrel and slide relative thereto. Thesleeve is retained on the barrel 46 by a threaded bushing 5| cooperatingth threads 52 on the barrel 46. The lower extremity of the .bushing isprovided with yieldable fingers 53' which control the movement of thesleeve as more fully hereinafter described. A throat portion 54 connectswith the pen barrel and carries the usual pen or nib which is to beprotected. The movement of the sleeve is controlled by spaced peripheralgrooves 50' and 55 and the spring fingers 53' provided outwardlyextending projections at the extremities thereof.

It will thus be noted that the fingers 53' also serve as a guide for thesleeve while being slid along the barrel from its operative position toits inoperative position to expose the pen for use.

The sleeve is provided with a closure shutter 58 which is actuated by alever rod 51 retained by a spring 56 surrounding the throat 54. The rodis connected to the shutter by a lever 59 pivotally connected to oneside of the sleeve and adjacent to the tapered closure seat 6| by aspring pivot member B0. j The rod 51 is provided with a notch 51 whichis adapted to engage a rib member 54' at the extremity of the throat 54.The throat is also provided with a longitudinal slot 58' foraccommodating the shutter control rod 51. This slot and the accompanyingcontrol rod also serve to maintain these parts in alignment during thereciprocable or sliding movement of the sleeve cap 41 relative to thebarrel 46, and at the same time position the shutter 58 for use as afinger rest to one side of the pen throat.

Having thus described a protective sleeve for a fountain pen constructedand arranged in accordance with my invention, it-is obvious that variouschanges may be made therein without departing from the scope of theinvention as set forth in the claims.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a fountain pen, the combination of a pen holder body having a penpoint mounted therein, a protecting sleeve for the point including athreaded member adapted to engage threads on the penholder adjacent tosaid pen point, the sleeve sliding on the threaded member, a shutter forclosing the end of said sleeve, said shutter being pivotally connectedto one side of said sleeve and inside the open end thereof, and meansconnecting said shutter and actuated by said sleeve for swinging saidshutter about its pivotal connection to open and close said sleeve.

2. In a fountain pen, the combination of a pen holder body having a penpoint mounted therein, a protecting moveable sleeve for the pointmounted on the body, a shutter for closing the end of said sleeve, meansconnecting 'said shutter to the interior of one side of said sleeveincluding a segment, a rod pivotally connected to said segment forconnecting said rod to said body, whereby the shutter shall be operatedby the movement of said sleeve to open and close said shutter.

3. In a fountain pen, the combination of a pen holder body having a penpoint mounted therein, as. protecting sleeve having walls of uniformthickness, an inside peripheral groove adjacent to the open end of saidsleeve, a yieldable member located in said groove, a shutter for theopen end or said sleeve, a segment-having one end rigidly connected tosaid shutter and the other end engaging said yieldable member, and a rodfor engaging said segment for opening and closing said shutter.

4. In a fountain pen, the combination of a penholder and pen therefor, aslidable protective sleeve for said pen, a closure for the end of saidsleeve, and means carried by the penholder for operating the closure,and other means operatively associated with the penholder for yieldablylocking the sleeve in extended and retracted positions.

5. A fountain pen of the character described in claim 4 including a slotformed in one side of saidpenholder, a closure actuating member carrledin said slot and pivotally connected to said closure, and means includedin said actuatin member for engaging the penholder to open and close theclosure member at predetermined positions of said protective sleeve.

6. The combination of a fountain pen holder and pen therefor, a slidableprotective sleeve for the pen including a closure member to form a cap,a threaded bushing for attaching said sleeve to the penholder, meansactuated by the movement of the sleeve for opening and closing theclosure member, and means carried by the sleeve for yieldably lockingsaid sleeve in the extended and retracted positions.

7. A fountain pen of thecharacter described in claim 6 including meansfor preventing relative rotational movement between said penholder andsaid sleeve.

8. An attachment for a fountain pen comprising a sleeve member adaptedto slide over a fountain pen barrel, threaded means on said barreladjacent to the pen point for attaching the sleevethereto and guide thesame during the sliding movement thereof, a swingable closure cover forthe open end of said sleeve, and means actuated by the sliding movementof said sleeve to actuate '3 the cover to permit the projection of thepen from said sleeve.

9. An attachment of the character described in claim 8 in which theattaching means for the

